Cauli-Cakes (Cauliflower Pancakes)

1 bag frozen cauliflower (steam it for about 4 mins in the microwave, then roughly chop it up)
1 tbsp diced garlic
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup Romano Cheese
1 tbsp Parsley Flakes
1/4 cup hot water
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a pretty large bowl (this might get messy) combine cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Add water slowly so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.  It will be lumpy and thats okay.  I kind of went at my batter with a potatoe masher to crush my cauliflower a little more.

On medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of oil in a 10 inch skillet coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form Cali-cakes.  (Things that resemble pancakes- so shoot for flat and roundish) You can probably fit more than 1 fritter in your pan at a time, depending on the size of your pan.  Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes.  They should be easy to flip if you have enough olive oil in the bottom of your pan. Add a little more oil to the pan in between batches, and repeat with the remaining batter.

Makes about 10 medium sized Cali-Cakes

~75 calories each.

Pasta with Broccoli (easy!)

4 cups broccoli (cut/no stems)
1 box wheat pasta (I used rigatoni)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
dash of garlic powder
dash of garlic salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. shredded parm cheese
red pepper (optional)

Boil water in a large pot.  Add the box of pasta and the broccoli into the boiling water.  Boil until pasta is cooked to al dente.  When you drain the pasta reserve about 1 cup of broccoli/pasta water.  Drain remaining water.  Pro Tip: I put a small plate in the bottom of my strainer to catch the broccoli pieces.

Set your now empty pot back on the stove on low. Add garlic, garlic powder, garlic salt, olive oil and optional red pepper.  Mix around.  Then add back in your cooked pasta and broccoli.  Mix well.  Add shredded parm and a little of the reserved pasta water until moist & cheesey and mix!  

This was really good!  But it needed a little extra seasoning, I added some extra garlic salt and a shake of parm on top. MMMmmmm!

Buffalo Chicken Balls

Since we are both trying to eat healthier, I sent Adam this recipe to keep his craving for anything "buffalo chicken" covered in a lighter way. ;)  Gotta keep the boyfriends tummy happy, yano?

He made these for our Superbowl party (along with many other delicous treats)  and these balls are delicious!  He described them as eating a ball of buffalo chicken dip.  I think thats pretty accurate, they have the creaminess of dip and the crunch of a wing.  Seriously tasty and definitely healthier than normal hot wings.

You will need:

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce (to taste)
• 3 1/2 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional -  we left them out)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 – 4 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed

This makes quite a few balls, so if you want less cut the recipe in half.  =)  But if you make them all, and you find yourself swimming in too many balls, you can freeze your balls for a later date  

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese and hot sauce, cheddar cheese and green onions (if you bought them)

3. Roll a heaping tablespoon of mixture into a 1½-inch ball and place onto a plate or separate baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

4. Place flour in a shallow dish.

5. In a second shallow dish, place eggs.

6. In a third shallow dish, place corn flakes. 

You will sadly have to wash dishes after this recipe is done - *womp* womp*

7. Dip each chicken ball first into the flour, then the egg and ending with the Corn Flakes. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ranch or blue cheese dressing we ate them plain, and "Oh my gahhhhh" they were out of this world.

(Light) Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1 Pita
1 Chicken Tender Cut
1 Tbsp. Fat Free Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese (I used Mozz)
As many splashes of Frank's Red Hot as you can handle.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

I cooked a whole pack of chicken tenders, but you only need one for each pita pizza.  I'll use the rest on salads or for other lunches/dinners.

• Cook the chicken in a little olive oil.  
• Shred or cut the chicken up.  
• Put your pita on a plate.
• Mix your shredded chicken with a dollop of fat free sour cream, and add as much hot sauce as you like.
• Put the mixture on your pita.  
• Top with your cheese.
• I also added some Franks on top of the cheese for an extra zing.
• Forget the plate, put your pita directly on the oven rack.

As I found out from my boyfriend, this part may require some skills and the following tips may help you.  This is what he learned ;):

1. Don't touch the oven, its pretty freaking hott.
2. Have some sort of scooper that isn't your fingers to remove pizza from oven. (Again, oven = hott)
3. It's a good idea to put a cookie sheet on the rack below your pizza to catch any dripping falling ingredients from being burned into your oven.  This will smell delicious when its cooks the first time, but recooking ingredients on the bottom of your oven will not smell as great after awhile.

Bake pizza for about 8-10 minutes until cheese is melty and the pita crust is crispy.

I added some italian seasoning and crushed red pepper on top.  

It was freaking delicious.

Meatloafs? Meatloaves? "Meat Loves"

1.5 lbs. Ground Beef
1 Small Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Pepper (I used red AND green peppers, cause I'm fancy)
1 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Milk
2 eggs

A few hearty sqeezes of Heinz Ketchup
A few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce or A1
5 shakes of Love

Preheat your oven to 350F. 

• Once you have all that shit up there ready, mix it all together in a big bowl. 
• It's easiest to mix it with your hands, but it will feel disgusting. 
• Remember to wash your hands before and after mixing. 
• This will make 2 medium meat loves.  Oh man, you could share!  You're not going to want to, but there is sharing potential.  So while you have your mixture in the bowl kinda split it down the middle so you have enough for 2 even loafs.  
• Take the mixture for loaf 1 and shape it into a loaf form.  Or if your fancy and you want your meat to be shaped like something else, do that.   Try to make the form not too thick or thin anywhere, so it cooks evenly.  
• Then place it in a Purple Pyrex Pan, or other glass baking pan.  (Pro Tip:  Tastes best when made in Purple Pyrex Pan)
• Then take the rest of your mixture left in the bowl, shape your second loaf and place it beside the first one.  They will be oven friends.

• Did you remember to preheat your oven?  Cause you gotta do that.
• Put your meat loafs? meat loaves? Put your "meat loves" in the oven and bake for like 45 mins. 
• At 40-45 mins. check on your loves to see if they look like my picture below.  They are done when they look as awesome as the ones I made.  If you have any concerns, or yours look less awesome you could probably cut into one and check for inner-done-ness.  
• If they look raw like the picture above, you probably just stored your meat loves in a cold oven for 45 mins.  You need to turn your oven on, thats key.  No joke it helps.

Nom.

Bad-Nana Bread

Bad-Nana Bread

Do you have bad bananas? Do you have an hour?  

You could have bad-nana bread.  And trust me, you want bad-nana bread.

Wet Mixture

2 large bad-nanas (ripe bananas)

2 1/2 tbsp. apple butter (optional- i thought this would be a tasty addition... i was correct)

1/2 c. butter 

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

Dry Mixture

2 c. flour

1tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl mix dry mixture.

3. In a medium bowl mix wet mixture.  

4. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture.  Only stir until everything is moist. 

Don't over mix. 

Lumps = Delicious

5. Pour into loaf pan evenly.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 mins.  Check the middle of the bread with a knife or toothpick.  When the knife comes out clean its done baking.  

7.  It's gonna look delicious, and your are going to want it in your mouth.  So grab a piece of crumb from the top and nom that, then let the rest of the bread cool for about 10 mins.  After that you can flip it onto a wire rack, or just go at it with a knife.

Each loaf = 12 servings

Calories: ~200 (per serving)